• Chapter five: The early years of Magic.


    Returning from Diagon Alley was like waking up from a pleasant dream to a beautiful spring morning. The sun was now beating down on the roofs of the school and black shape were shedding robes to reveal white shirts with ties of red, green, blue and yellow. Albus once again was about to point his wand at her head when she suddenly asked if she could try. Grinning down at her, he told her the incantation. As if she had always known how to do the spell, she vanished. Smiling at what he knew was Sid he guided her through the gates and into the Entrance Hall. Then he helped her down the stairs and into the dungeons. Entering her father’s office, they were greeted by half the teachers in the school, including Professor Snape. A cheer erupted in the room as everyone was sending their congratulations to her. Walking through the forest of legs, she came to a halt at someone whom she had been longing to speak to all day. Severus.
    “Um... Happy Birthday, Siderexina,” said Snape awkwardly.
    “Hi, Severus!” she cried with delight.
    Severus for one shining moment felt an over whelming pride for his daughter. Forgetting that everyone else was in the room, he grinned and lifted her up high above his head. A chorus of sighs replied his action, remembering what a cold hearted man he seemed to be to anyone else he set the girl down and resumed his cold status. Everyone then looked away as if nothing happened. One by one they held onto Sid and congratulated her again. Parcels were being handed down to her. Later, she thought it would be sensible to write down a list of her birthday presents that went something like this;
    Professor Flitwick, a book on charms. From Hagrid, a blanket of moleskin. Trelawney gave a crystal ball and wish beads. Professor Gredge (Defence against the Dark Arts this year) gave a book on defence against mythical creatures. Professor Sprout gave a Venomous Tentacular seed to look after in the green houses. Professor McGonagall gave a set of quills, parchment and a phoenix feather (this was silly, coincidence). Snape gave a book on potions and a small, purple badge saying “Genius at Heart.” Dumbledore gave a fresh pair of thick woolly socks and a hamper of delicious sweets. And from everyone my wand.

    That night, as she had guessed, she was invited to the Great Hall for a feast. As she went she was using the disillusion charm, hovering with her wings and turning the light in her wand on and off.
    “I’ll take it away from you if you keep doing that,” said Snape in the cold dungeon corridor.
    “You can’t stop me, it’s mine now.”
    “Fair point.” They continued their journey without another word.
    As they entered the Hall, they saw tiny golden phoenix’s flying around the room with so much grace, Sid was wondering whether they were trying or not. Strolling towards the front table seemed too little now, without really thinking, she hovered off the ground. She knew no one could see her, but it was just to prove to herself she could do it. Reaching the table, she crouched down under Albus’s chair and waited for a plate to be put down. Remembering she now had a wand, she realised they were expecting to do magic to retrieve her food.
    “Accio food!” she whispered, and sure enough a plate of her favourite food cascaded down from the table. Soon she realised this was her favourite food. Usually there is some vegetable of piece of meat that she wouldn’t like. It’s her birthday. She shouldn’t worry. Not today, not now. Ignoring unnecessary worries, she tucked into what she discovered was the most delicious meal she had ever tasted.

    After dinner, she felt well filled with food and exhausted after a long and exciting day. Going downstairs felt like going down a steep hill .she didn’t want to stop. Down, down, down she went. Noticing her eyes getting heavier and her head dropping, Snape knew it would be a matter of time before she’d fall asleep on the stairs. Picking her up, he took her to her bedroom and left her on the bed.

    On the next day, Dumbledore again woke her up with a start. Groaning a reasonable amount, she got out of her bed and changed out of last night’s clothes. Albus again set to work. That morning they had done all the incantations that she had learnt, and later she learnt how to transfigure a feather into a full bird. The next day they did yet more studying and the same with every other day that month. Soon it turned to the summer holidays. So Sid left the school for six weeks to go “home.”

    The next two summers passed with such smoothness that no one could really tell. Siderexina now knew everything she needed to know to pass her O.W.L examinations. In January that year, Snape still with no more affection for her than he began with, urged her to take the exams. However reluctant at first, she decided to go ahead with the plan. June arrived with a bright note. The sun again beat down on the student’s sun kissed heads and the lake was glistening as the sun’s beams danced on the surface. Inside, however things weren’t so pleasant. The four house tables were replaced by at least a hundred desks with chairs. Older students were rushing to their seats but Sid was dawdling to her seat in the front row. Many heads turned as she passed, including the examiners, she ignored them however and got on with her numerous exams.

    Shortly after the term drew to a close and even the summer holidays were short lived. The exam results came in by owl on hot morning in August to show Sid had passed all her examinations with outstandings. Albus of course was thrilled at his “little niece’s” results. Snape on the other hand didn’t have the courage to congratulate her until she was fast asleep in her bed that night.

    Sweet dreams little one. Sweet dreams to you all.